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If anyone is interested in building a plated column, there is an easy way to do it. Decide how many plates you want, and get the same amount of tube couplers, cut your plates to the same size as the tube you will be using. once you have drilled and prepared your plates, cut your tube to the length of the distance between the plates. You will end up with say 8 couplers, 8 plates, and 8 pieces of tube 4-6" long, place the prepared plate on the stop in the coupler, place a piece of tubing on top, solder and continue until all are assembled. You will then have a plated column with the plates permanently fixed within the column. You will find that if you flood the joint with solder, it will run down the inside of the coupling and also solder the plate. Fit a top and tail to the column and you will have a plated column.

Good idea..

If you have access to one of these babies


you just need a length of copper tube and a tube cutter and cut the lengts you need and shorter lengths for the joiners.

then use the tool above to expand the smaller joints and you dont have to buy the couplers..

I'm not that high tech, my tools are basic, hacksaw, propane torch, small tube cutter etc, I usually have to think outside the square.
BTW If you don't want that tool, It will be a gratefully recieved gift.

hi there

if all the sections with the plates in them are all soldered together, how do you get at each of the plates to clean them? or am I missing how you attach the sections together?

With a plated column I just hose it through with water after each run.


OD

Decoy, I've been looking for a swager but no one understands what I'm talking about. Where'd you get it?

OD, so no down comers required? If I were to do a 2" column with 4 plates spaced 4" apart, where do I place the take off?

Hutch- wrote:OD, so no down comers required?

J type downcomers on each plate.

Hutch- wrote:If I were to do a 2" column with 4 plates spaced 4" apart, where do I place the take off?

Takeoff would be through a dephlegmater at the top of the column.


OD